3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the teaching of modern foreign languages? OAQ52033

Thank you, David. The teaching of languages is highly valued in our schools, which is why the 'Global futures' plan was published in 2015. Three years into this plan, there is continued commitment and ambition across the education system to improve the teaching and learning experiences of modern foreign languages for all of our learners. 

Thank you for that answer, but as you well know, there's been an incredible decline in the teaching of modern foreign languages in Wales, as was demonstrated by the British Council. It is sadly also the case in other parts of the UK, but here in Wales between 2002 and 2016 the number of pupils studying a foreign language to GCSE standard declined by 48 per cent, and at A-level declined by 44 per cent. So, the actual absolute numbers now are embarrassingly small, and various reasons have been attributed to this, including the predominance of compulsory subjects and even the operation of the Welsh baccalaureate. So, how is the 'Global futures' project going to deliver any substantive change? Because I understand the trend is still downwards. 

Thank you, David. I would agree with you that there is still more work that we can do to ensure that more children take the opportunity of studying modern foreign languages at GCSE level. One of the projects that is proving particularly successful in achieving that aim, which the Welsh Government funds, is the student mentoring project run in conjunction with Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth universities, and this will run for a fourth year this year. The project offers targeted intervention to improve MFL take-up at GCSE in schools through improving pupil engagement with the university student mentor. In 2016-17, 50 per cent of all pupils mentored continued their learning into GCSE compared to a national average of under 20 per cent, so that project we know is making a real difference. 

What I can say, though—and I would like to take this opportunity, Presiding Officer, to congratulate the high standards that are being achieved by those students that do go on to take this subject. Now, I don't particularly like making comparisons across the border, but it is fair to say that GCSE results last year showed that Wales had a higher A* performance and a higher A* to C performance in Spanish, French and German than students across the border in England. So, where students do take these subjects, they are excelling.  

Question 4, Rhianon Passmore.